Blackout
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Something strange is going on in Enchancia. The sun isn't rising, and neither is the moon. Instead of stars at night, the sky is covered in strange glowing points of colored light, which grow dimmer each evening. Concerned, King Roland urges Cedric and a team he's assembled to investigate, lest the kingdom be plunged into darkness for good.
1. Midday Madness

Blackout

Summary: Something strange is going on in Enchancia. The sun isn't rising, and neither is the moon. Instead of stars at night, the sky is covered in strange glowing points of colored light, which grow dimmer each evening. Concerned, King Roland urges Cedric and a team he's assembled to investigate, lest the kingdom be plunged into darkness for good.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_.

A/N: One of my favorite genres is mystery (as well as suspense), so I'm excited to write this story. This will be a chapter story, though I'm going to attempt to update as often as I can. I've changed my original direction for this story somewhat due to changes in the show's story line (*cough* Greylock *cough*), but I think that might be a good thing once all of this is said and done. I hope you like it! :D

A/N 2: In chapter 3 and onward, there _will_ be references to my recent story "Nashoba," so make sure you're familiar with the character of Nashoba before reading it. ;)

*Story*

Chapter 1: Midday Madness

"They say something bad is about to happen. Look how dark it's gotten, and it's only noon!"

"At night we don't even see stars anymore—just some random sprinkling of rainbow-colored lights!"

"Perhaps it's just a change in the weather?"

"There is no logical reason for Enchancia to be this dark right now—and getting darker by the minute!"

"Maybe it's the _end_ of Enchancia…"

Roland sighed heavily as he heard his subjects' fears and discussions. He knew as well as they did how strangely dark it had gotten across the kingdom. It had started two days ago, with only half of the sun shining in the daytime. As of yesterday, the sun hadn't even risen at all, leaving the area rather dark. With the moon in its waxing phase, it had not yet become whole on its own, but he still knew it, too, was likely affected. "Please," he began calmly yet firmly, getting their attention. "I know you're troubled and scared. I understand wholeheartedly. However, let me be the first to assure you that whatever is going on, you're safe here in Enchancia. No harm will come to you. I'll see to that."

"But Your Majesty," a man with a long beard began earnestly, "we're worried this may be something evil… There's so much darkness in peoples' hearts and too many with corruptive power these days…" He frowned when he saw Roland's eyes narrow. "H-How do we know something bad isn't about to happen?"

The king's stance softened a bit as he smiled reassuringly at them all. "Don't worry. I'll personally investigate this matter and get to the bottom of it. As it is, this darkness will become a bit of a burden for us all, especially in terms of travel. I suggest you all return to your homes while we take a look into everything. Don't be afraid. Enchancia is safe."

"Long live the king!" a few shouted, causing a chain reaction of echoed sentiments before the crowd dispersed.

"Rollie," Miranda started with an uncertain glance toward her husband, "when they said that thing about people having corruptive power…"

He frowned before looking toward two of his guards. "Get Cedric." He sighed as the two men nodded in affirmation and left.

"Oh, Roland, you don't think…?"

"I hope not, Miranda. I honestly do. But it's happened before, so…I have to eliminate all possibilities."

The brown-haired queen sighed and held her hands to her heart. For Cedric's sake—for Sofia's sake—she sincerely hoped the sorcerer wasn't responsible for their current situation.

"…And that's how you sew on a button," Sofia concluded with a confidant grin toward her mentor.

Cedric grumbled in annoyance and huffed when the button he was attempting to sew onto a piece of fabric popped up and shot across the workshop. He sighed in resignation before pulling out his wand. "That's it. I give up. I'm horrible at sewing. Magic it is."

"No, Mr. Cedric!" Sofia lowered his wand and gave him a disapproving look. "Not everything _has_ to be solved with magic."

"Well, no, Sofia…it doesn't _have_ to be. But since it _can_ be, I say go for it." He smirked and waved the wand a few times, to her displeasure.

" _I_ wanted to teach _you_ how to do something for a change—something I'm actually good at. And what I can tell you through all the trial and error I had with sewing is that while it may seem easy to give up or resort to other methods (such as magic), practice really does make perfect." She smiled sarcastically. "Or does the sorcerer's secret not apply in this case?"

Cedric deadpanned at the girl. "A button popped up from my hands and flew across the room, nearly knocking out Wormy." He rolled his eyes when the raven squawked his obvious annoyance on cue. "I think it's safe to say that we're a bit past the sorcerer's secret now. This sorcerer is hopeless when it comes to sewing." He held up his gloved hands. "These hands know how to handle magic and not much else, I'm afraid."

Sofia giggled and took his hands, smiling gently. "That's not true. You can do anything you set your mind to, Mr. Cedric."

He returned the girl's smile before gasping at the loud knock at his door. "Who on earth could that be?" He released her hands and walked to the door, pulling open. He frowned at the sight of the guards. "May I help you?"

One of the guards stepped forward and took his arm. "King Roland wants to speak with you _now_ ," he insisted as his partner grabbed Cedric's other arm, the both of them leading him down the stairs.

"Unhand me at once!"

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia called worriedly as she hurried after them. What in the world had gotten into her father anyway?

Roland looked down seriously as the guards released Cedric, enabling him to bow—though obviously not so enthusiastically, as the sorcerer was preoccupied with rubbing his sore arms. "Cedric, I need to speak with you."

"You don't say," he murmured sarcastically under his breath before standing fully and looking a bit more sincerely toward the king. "How may I serve you, Your Majesty?"

"Have you looked outside lately?"

Cedric blinked, thinking that was a rather odd question. "Um…I can't say I have, King Roland. Am I missing something?"

"How about the sun?" the king retorted impatiently. "The sky is growing darker every minute." He looked to the side as Sofia finally made it into the throne room, followed by her siblings. "There were earlier reports of only half of the sun shining."

"It's true," James affirmed with a nod. "I saw it yesterday when I took Rex for a walk. It was kind of cool and creepy at the same time." He then shrugged. "Of course today, there's no sun at all."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Cedric stated in confusion. "I'm afraid I'm not following you."

"Did you cause this, Cedric?" Miranda asked, seeing that Roland's indirect interrogation was getting them nowhere.

The sorcerer shook his head. "No, Queen Miranda. I promise you and give my word of honor: I have nothing to do with any atmospheric changes going on in Enchancia. Until King Roland mentioned it, I wasn't even aware it was going on."

"I'm not surprised," Amber joked playfully. "He's locked in his tower all day long with potions and spells. Of course he wouldn't realize what was going on."

Sofia walked forward and placed a comforting hand on Cedric's arm in case she had to plead his case again. "Dad, Mr. Cedric really didn't have anything to do with it this time. I've been with him all this morning, and the last two days we've been working together on a few spells. We were very busy and were in his workshop the whole time. Whatever is going on, he is not responsible."

Cedric smiled gratefully. At least he could always count on one royal to back him up.

"Hmm." Roland sighed as he leaned back against his throne. "I was actually kind of hoping you _were_ responsible… At least we'd have a more definitive answer and a faster solution."

"Gee, thanks," Cedric muttered so only Sofia could hear, causing her to giggle softly and nudge him. "King Roland, while I'm not sure what's going on, I'd be happy to help in any way I possibly can. If something is threatening Enchancia, it could potentially be magical, and all it would take is the process of elimination and a bit of investigation to decipher who or what is behind this."

"I'm glad you said that," the king responded with a determined stare. "Because here's what I'd like you to do…"

To be continued

Chapter List:

1: Midday Madness

2: Assembly

3: Nashoba and the Rainbow Queen

4: Alleviating the Mystery

5: Sacrifice


	2. Assembly

Blackout

Summary: Something strange is going on in Enchancia. The sun isn't rising, and neither is the moon. Instead of stars at night, the sky is covered in strange glowing points of colored light, which grow dimmer each evening. Concerned, King Roland urges Cedric and a team he's assembled to investigate, lest the kingdom be plunged into darkness for good.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews so far, and also thanks so much to those who favorited/followed (and also to those who simply enjoy reading). I had one thing I wanted to address. Greylock is actually not going to be in this story. I'd originally planned for him to be when I'd started my drafts and notes, but due to his *ahem* behavior in the "Day of the Sorcerers" episode, he will not fit in with the story line. It's a shame, too, because he was supposed to show up in _this_ chapter! *sigh* Ah, well. Where one goes astray, new ones will come to play. ;) Also, any stories I'd previously planned to write with Greylock will be pushed back until I see some sort of direction/resolution with his character. Just wanted to make sure I made note of that. With that said, here's chapter two!

*Story*

Chapter 2: Assembly

"Me and my big mouth," Cedric complained hours later as he tapped his fingers on his table. He glanced toward Wormwood, who rolled his eyes. "Wormy, what have I gotten myself into?"

"More than you know, more than likely," the raven drawled with a smirk. "That's what you get for volunteering yourself to King Roland. That whole 'at your service' thing was bound to backfire on you at some point."

"Well, I suppose I'd better make good on my offer then. I'm still under somewhat…obligatory conditions considering recent events."

"You mean when they found out your plan to overtake the kingdom," the bird suggested with a loud sigh. "Honestly."

Cedric shrugged as he sat up straighter. "Well, it was bound to happen eventually, I think… I'm sort of glad it's already over and done. It's gotten me closer to the princess."

Wormwood scoffed. "As if you two could _be_ any closer. The girl hugs _you_ more than she hugs her own mother. Anyway, what is this so-called plan you have?"

The sorcerer unrolled a scroll and grabbed a quill. "King Roland wants me to assemble some fellow sorcerers together to determine what's happened and if we can resolve this magically. I have some people in mind who could potentially help us out with this blackout. I do have some theories as to what is going on, but I doubt any of them are actually true… We'll see, I guess. I only hope they respond affirmatively…" He began writing down some things onto his parchment.

"I'm assuming Greylock is out then?" He chuckled as Cedric shot him a look. "Message received."

"Mr. Cedric?"

Cedric turned toward the door as Sofia, still in her usual dress, gently pushed it open, her fingers tightly holding onto a lit candle as she entered his workshop. "Sofia, what are you doing here so late? It must be close to midnight now…"

"Who can tell?" she asked sleepily with a small giggle before shuffling inside. "I hadn't seen you since Dad asked you to look into this whole thing, and I was worried about you—whoa!"

Cedric was quick and caught her when she tripped, the candle now doused and lying on the floor. "Sofia, you're tired. You need to go to bed. I can handle this."

The girl frowned in concern as she looked toward her mentor. "But we're a team. I want to help you."

The sorcerer smiled fondly as he helped her to her feet. "My dear, you'll help me by getting some rest. I can't have you falling all over the place."

She sighed before yawning. "Can you at least tell me your plan? I'm guessing you have one…"

Cedric conceded and led her to a chair before sitting down himself. "I do have something of a plan—some promising names I believe could help us." He turned the previously written list toward the girl, who began skimming the parchment.

The list included names such as Goodwyn, Winifred, Merlin, some names she didn't recognize, and even Cordelia and Calista. Sofia smiled tiredly at Cedric. "You're giving your sister and niece a chance to participate in this?"

"It's not like I really have a choice, I'm afraid." Cedric clasped his hands together. "Cordelia is powerful, and I need her help, as much as it pains me to admit it." He smiled at her laugh. "And Calista naturally must come along, as I doubt very much her mother would leave her behind. Besides, who knows? She may be beneficial to our cause."

"Yeah, it's possible." She shook her head a few times and tried to will away her tiredness, but Cedric caught on pretty quickly.

"All right, it's time for you to get some rest. Come along—I'll walk you back to your room."

Sofia nodded and dropped to her feet before Cedric guided her down the stairs of the tower. He'd brought a candle with them to illuminate their way. "You don't think something bad is going to happen, do you, Mr. Cedric?"

"I'm not sure, Sofia. I certainly hope not, though this entire situation is a bit troubling, to say the least." He placed his free hand on her back gently as he saw her lower her head. The simple action got her attention again. "Don't worry though. Whatever it is that is going on, we are going to get to the bottom of it. And with a team to help us decipher this phenomenon, whether it's magical or something else entirely, we'll be successful."

Sofia hummed in appreciation. She liked that he seemed optimistic about things for a change. Who knew discovering his dark secret would suddenly lead to this new positive perspective? As they approached her room, she felt a bit more apprehensive. Uncertainty didn't sit well with her, especially lately. She paused in front of her door and looked up toward her mentor worriedly. "Mr. Cedric?"

Cedric smiled in resignation before dropping to one knee and holding out his arms. He sighed as she hugged him. He patted her back in a soothing manner before she moved back. "It will be all right, Sofia. I promise you."

She nodded and smiled in appreciation. "Good night, Mr. Cedric. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she walked into her room and shut the door behind her.

The sorcerer sighed as he turned and walked back to his workshop. "At least I hope so…"

With the help of his magic, Cedric managed to get his letters of urgency out to those written on his list. Naturally, his parents arrived first and agreed to aid him under the circumstances.

"Goodness," Winifred mumbled as she looked around the kingdom. Luckily, there were torches glimmering around them, but that didn't take away the fact that there was still a horrid lack of natural light. "No stars, no moon, no sun… This is very strange, Cedric."

"I know," he responded. "King Roland is perplexed. Sofia is terrified. I'm absolutely dumbfounded…"

"It could be any sort of meteorological happenstance, truly," Goodwyn told his son. "Perhaps a shift in the weather… Yet that doesn't necessarily explain the outright _disappearance_ of the sun, the stars, and the moon, does it?"

"Not really, and it happened so fast." The younger sorcerer ran one hand through his hair. "Father, do you think there could be some sort of magic behind this? However sinister or misguided?"

Goodwyn gave his son a curious look. "You've considered that as well…?" He nodded curtly. "Very well. We can't dismiss the possibility of a magic wielder being responsible for this. However, we must eradicate all other natural factors first before pursuing that route."

"Am I late to the party?" a familiar, playful voice called out from behind the family.

They turned in surprise, only to see Merlin approaching with his wand giving off a steady stream of light to help guide him.

"Merlin?" Goodwyn asked curiously. "What on earth are you doing here? I haven't seen you in quite some time."

"Ah, Goodwyn! Winifred! How nice to see you both." He gestured toward Cedric. "Your son sent me a letter of urgency requesting my help." He glanced up with a deep frown. "Yes, I can see why…"

Goodwyn glanced toward his son. "You requested Merlin's help?"

Cedric smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Well, who better? Besides, I guess I forgot to mention that I've met him before…when Calista came for a visit last time."

The older man nodded. He blinked as Merlin walked over and pulled him to the side to talk to him.

Winifred chuckled and nudged his cheek gently. "That's smart thinking, Ceddy-kins. Merlin is a top-notch wizard and the best one to help us out."

"Yes…and why is he so familiar with you two anyway?"

The woman made a sound of boredom. "Eh, he and your father used to have Wizarding Card Game tournaments years ago, when you were a toddler and even before that. They also met up at many magical events, of course."

"Huh. I never knew that."

"Cedric," Merlin began as he turned to face both mother and son, "your father and I were just discussing something. Have there been any strange goings on in Enchancia leading up to this particular…event?"

Cedric deadpanned at the question. Let's see. He had no recollection of it of course, but Sofia had told him of Princess Ivy. Then there was Sascha/Miss Nettle back in her days of deceit. Sofia's wicked twin created from duplication (though they'd taken care of her). Slickwell had had his moment of stardom with trying to outdo Baileywick and take over his job. Several other little things had occurred in and around the kingdom, as well. Then of course there was…him, but he chose not to dwell on that topic for now. "You could say that…"

"Any of particular threat who might have the capacity of power to do something like this?"

He shook his head. "I don't believe so… Merlin, it's one thing to attempt siege of a castle or something, but to completely do away with the sun, moon, and stars? Even magically speaking, I won't necessarily say it's impossible, but I will say it would likely be extremely difficult. One must have some planetary familiarity or something to have done this."

"So normal-level wizards are out," Goodwyn surmised as he shook his head. "Well, this is a mess already, and we've only just begun, I'm afraid. And who else did you send out letters to?"

"A few people I knew from Hexley Hall who could be of help, though I've not heard back from them. And then there's—"

" _Uncle Ceddy_!"

"...Cordelia and Calista," Cedric finished before feeling small yet strong arms wrap around his waist. He smiled and patted the girl gently on the head. "Calista, how are you?"

"Confused. Where's all the light gone in this kingdom?" She then noticed her grandparents and quickly turned to hug them as well.

"That's what we are trying to figure out, my dear," Winifred told her as she brushed her hand through her granddaughter's hair. She smiled as Cordelia approached. "And you've come to lend a hand as well, Cordelia?"

The sorceress shrugged carelessly before smirking and nudging her brother. "Should be interesting with us working together, eh, Cedric?" she asked playfully.

Cedric sighed in dismay as Calista ran back over to him and clung to him once more. "What have I gotten myself into…?"

Other sorcerers or general magic practicing individuals either didn't respond to Cedric's inquiry or relayed word that they were regretfully unable to aid Enchancia for whatever reason but sent the wishes of the best of luck for those who were in attendance. While that provided Cedric with little comfort, his apprentice cheered him up anyway.

"Don't worry, Mr. Cedric," she told him later that evening as their guests were eating in the dining room with the royal family. Sofia had pulled Cedric aside when she'd noticed the worried look on his face. "Even if we don't have as many as you'd like helping, we still have some of the best wizards ever. I mean, Merlin of all people?" She smiled enthusiastically, getting him to finally crack a smile of his own.

"That is rather remarkable, isn't it?" He sighed in resignation. "Well, it's just as well. Seems like it ended up being more of a family affair after all, though I don't know how things will turn out, to be honest. I don't even know what we're up against with this strange blackout… Eating by candlelight occasionally is one thing, but every day?" He gestured toward the table, which was, indeed, illuminated by several lit candles, both stationary and floating (thanks to Merlin).

Sofia giggled. "We'll figure this out, Mr. Cedric."

"I certainly hope so, Sofia…" With that, he led his friend back to the table so they could finish their meals and begin discussing theories and plausible solutions.

Meanwhile, in the dark mountains on the outskirts of Enchancia, a figure stood on the precipice of the slope, knowing blue eyes gazing out at the obscured land.

"Hmm… So it's come to this, has it? Very well then." And with that, a familiar howl released into the night, echoing across the land.

To be continued…


	3. Nashoba and the Rainbow Queen

Blackout

Summary: Something strange is going on in Enchancia. The sun isn't rising, and neither is the moon. Instead of stars at night, the sky is covered in strange glowing points of colored light, which grow dimmer each evening. Concerned, King Roland urges Cedric and a team he's assembled to investigate, lest the kingdom be plunged into darkness for good.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_.

A/N: Here it is! Chapter 3 at last, and the reintroduction of Nashoba. Again, if you're not familiar with this character, check out my story "Nashoba," which was posted a few weeks ago. You'll get to see not only his reappearance, but also you'll get to hear his side of the story as far as what's really going on in Enchancia. Ooh. Lol. Anyway, thanks again to all those who've reviewed! And a special thank you to Mukidi. I appreciated your review immensely, and I liked the ideas and feedback you had. I also don't fully believe Greylock is truly "evil," but for this story and the setup I recreated, I figured it best to save him for later. On to the story!

*Story*

Chapter 3: Nashoba and the Rainbow Queen

The next morning was darker than ever before. Many of the castle workers had to bring out extra candles from their emergency supplies to light up not only the inside but also the outside as well. It was quite a strenuous and particular chore, but eventually enough light was shed on the surroundings to make the inhabitants a bit more comfortable. King Roland also had them place more lighting around the surrounding villages so their subjects would be more at peace.

"I'm scared, Mummy," Calista admitted to Cordelia as her mother brushed through her hair that morning. "I don't like all this darkness. Who knows what types of monsters may be out there?"

Cordelia smiled, a rare moment of motherly affection. She may have been a bit crass and materialistic sometimes, but when her daughter was concerned, she was different. "Don't worry, Calista," she soothed as she placed the brush down and pulled the child onto her lap. "We will figure out what is going on around here. After all, we're sorceresses. It's what we do best—solving problems with magic."

"And Uncle Ceddy is leading the way!"

Cordelia gave her daughter a pointed look. "…Right. Cedric is leading the way… It should be interesting for certain." She stood and placed the girl to her feet. "Let's go find your grandparents and get this day started."

Calista giggled and took her mother's hand as they left their guest room.

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the throne room to discuss potential reasons behind the darkness and plans to alleviate it. Roland and Miranda sat in their thrones, listening to the magic wielders, while Amber and James stood aside with Sofia at the opposite end of the room.

"I think it's safe to say this is a magical occurrence, Your Majesties," Goodwyn spoke clearly as the others around him nodded in agreement. "Astronomical anomalies occur naturally of course, but to lose the sun and moon—even the stars—in such a limited amount of time is preposterous and, to be frank, highly unlikely in a natural circumstance. …Unless of course it's the end of humanity as we know it."

"It isn't," Winifred stated firmly as she elbowed her husband once she saw the surprised looks on the king's and queen's faces. "I wouldn't worry, King Roland. This has 'magic' written all over it. All we need to do is some research and approach this in not only a scientific manner, but also a magical one."

"So…just leave it to you all, right?" Roland asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because I'm not exactly well-versed in magic."

"No kidding," Wormwood muttered from his spot on Cedric's shoulder, only to be silenced as the sorcerer quickly put his hand over his beak. The bird sighed in annoyance.

"We can do this, Your Majesty!" Calista enthused brightly. "We'll get Enchancia back to normal!"

"The girl is right," Merlin agreed with a nod. "If it pleases King Roland, we'll gather in Cedric's workshop and begin our planning immediately."

"Sure," the blonde man returned with a grateful smile. "Again, thank you all for your help. It's good to know so many care about our situation."

The magic wielders all departed, led by Cedric to his tower once again.

"This is getting weird," James told his siblings as he led them outside, where some of the guards were standing nearby…just in case. "I mean, it's kind of cool seeing _those_." He pointed up at the faintly glowing rainbow-colored lights in the sky. However, they weren't nearly enough to illuminate much of anything. "But I kind of miss the sun, you know?"

Amber sighed dramatically. "It isn't weird, James. It's ridiculous! The sorcerers have already said it's obviously something magical happening, so one of those bad magic guys is probably behind it. Sofia, what's the name of that jerk you and Cedric encountered a few weeks ago? Grimsby? Grimy?"

She giggled. "Grimtrix…but Grimy suits him too."

"Yes, okay, so maybe he's the one causing all this trouble."

Sofia pondered before shaking her head. "I don't know, Amber. If I were Grimtrix, I'd be a little more forward with everything, not hide behind something like this." She gestured toward the darkened sky. "Grimtrix is very upfront about what he does. After he stopped hiding behind the 'Grimtrix the Good' mask, he really let his true colors show. Besides, I usually get a bad feeling when I'm around something like this, but now I just feel…different."

James blinked at his sister. "So what, you're Sofia the Magic Sensor now or something?"

The auburn-haired girl sighed. "I can't explain it, James. Bad guys—or girls—usually leave me feeling anxious and on guard. While this is very weird and sort of creepy, I don't feel like it's anything…malicious? You know what I mean?"

Amber gave her sister a dubious look. "Sofia… The sun is missing. It has been for days. We have a gazillion candles all over the kingdom. Cedric had to call in reinforcements. _Tell_ me how this isn't malicious."

"The young one is correct."

The siblings turned when they heard the warm sound of a man's voice behind them. The dark-skinned man stood perfectly still in a simple white tunic and white pants. He didn't have on any shoes. His long white hair blanketed his shoulders and back, and his calm blue eyes seemed to perforate the darkness.

Sofia frowned in contemplation. "Who are you? You seem familiar to me…"

The man smiled at her before walking forward and kneeling next to her. "Princess Sofia… I recall telling you to follow the moon if you should ever get lost again; alas, I see that's going to be a bit of a problem."

The princess gasped in realization, her eyes widening. "Nashoba?"

Meanwhile, in the tower and in the now-sort-of-cramped workshop, Cedric sighed in exasperation as he listened to everyone trying to talk over each other.

"Maybe we could use the—"

"No, Father, that spell only works when—"

"Let him finish, Cordelia, dear."

"I'm hungry, Mummy!"

"Will everyone please just—"

"QUIET!"

Everyone stopped their discussions/arguing and turned to stare at the flustered sorcerer.

Cedric sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I apologize, but really…enough is enough. Can't you all speak rationally and _one at a time_ instead of attempting to talk over the other? We're accomplishing nothing here."

"I agree," Merlin responded diplomatically as he nodded. "Cedric is right. We need to collaborate here rather than pitting ideas against one another. So one at a time…" He pointed his wand toward Goodwyn.

Goodwyn nodded. "I'm thinking we could use the Reveal Spell. It could reveal any mysterious forces nearby that might mean us some harm."

"Didn't that spell get revoked a few years ago?" Winifred wondered. "I thought I heard something about it causing more harm than good."

"It's true," Merlin lamented. "Unfortunately, that spell is no longer valid."

Calista pouted and walked over to Cedric, tugging at his robe and getting his attention. She had frustration written all over her face with her light brown eyes brimming with tears. "Uncle Ceddy…"

Cedric picked her up and set her on the table before reaching under his desk and pulling out a box of ginger snaps. "Here you are. Eat up."

The girl smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Uncle Ceddy…" She began happily munching away.

The Royal Sorcerer looked up at the others. "I don't know if I'd quite call this situation a sinister one. It is unusual, no question. However, it mystifies me more than terrifies me. I'm rather curious as to what's really going on."

"Then what do you suggest we do, brother?" Cordelia asked. "We were called here for a purpose, correct? Sitting around twiddling our thumbs just isn't going to do it."

"I realize that, Cordelia. Merlin, what do you think?" He glanced toward the older wizard.

"I think…" He blinked when he saw a flash of light streak across the sky through the window. "I think we should venture outside. Something tells me we're about to get more answers to our questions."

"Nashoba, how did you…why are you human?" Sofia stared at the taller man in awe.

The wolf hybrid smiled at the girl's query. "On this earth, I am seen as a wolf. Where I am from normally, this is my actual form."

"Where are you from?" Amber asked excitedly, anxious to see where the conversation went.

"I'm from a land called Arcomeotora. It's not even here in the Ever Realm. It's…a bit beyond the reach of your imagination, I suppose you could say." He sat down on the steps leading toward the castle, the firelight from one of the torches nearby illuminating his face.

Sofia sat down next to him. "So…why were you here in our world, in the wolf form?"

"I'm on a mission to locate my queen. And, thanks to this happenstance, it appears I've found her."

"Your queen?" James blinked a few times. "How does a queen just go missing?"

Nashoba smiled at the boy. "You'd be surprised, little one. And it wasn't an act of malice or harm. She…sort of took off on her own."

"Seriously?" Amber gasped. "A queen just ran off from her duties? I doubt I'd ever be able to do that. Not when I'd have a kingdom that needed me…"

"And all the tiaras you could ever hope for," James finished with a cheeky smile and nod, to which Amber replied with a scoff.

"I'm afraid there's a bit more to it than that, children. The Rainbow Queen, as she is known, has been plagued with many nightmares these last few years. She fears the worst, even if nothing ever happens. To protect her kingdom, she thought it best to remove herself from the situation so that her subjects would not witness a weakness in the royal family. She's been gone for six months now, leaving her young sister to rule in her place."

"How do you find the Rainbow Queen?" Sofia wondered as she listened attentively.

"Do you see those?" He pointed toward the small, dim, twinkling rainbow lights in the sky. "Those let me know she's nearby. I hadn't heard or seen any signs from her until the last few days. I've been here the entire six months that she's been missing, because…it's my duty to see after her."

"You're her guardian?" James guessed.

"Something like that… Anyway, the Rainbow Queen has given some indication of her location, and it's my job to locate her and take her home. She's much needed in her kingdom. Her sister has done as well as she can, but she's only ten years old, so…"

"Wow," Sofia breathed in awe. "She's around our age, and she's in charge of an entire kingdom? I can't imagine running Enchancia alone." She smiled. "Can we help you, Nashoba?"

"I would appreciate that, Princess. I could use all the help I can get."

"Sofia," Cedric called as he and the others approached the quartet outside. "What on earth are you doing out here?" He then caught sight of Nashoba. "Who's this?"

"Mr. Cedric, this is Nashoba. He's…well, it's a long story." With that said, she explained the wolf hybrid's story as clearly yet briefly as possible. While some seemed to have questions for the white-haired man, the eldest wizard had other plans.

Merlin cleared his throat to get their attention. "Never mind all that right now. We saw a light streak across the sky earlier. That's the first sign of difference, correct? It's got to mean something."

"It does," Nashoba responded, his blue eyes twinkling. "It means she's here…"

"Who, dear?" Winifred asked in confusion.

"The Rainbow Queen: Aliciana."

To be continued…


	4. Alleviating the Mystery

Blackout

Summary: Something strange is going on in Enchancia. The sun isn't rising, and neither is the moon. Instead of stars at night, the sky is covered in strange glowing points of colored light, which grow dimmer each evening. Concerned, King Roland urges Cedric and a team he's assembled to investigate, lest the kingdom be plunged into darkness for good.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_.

A/N: Now you'll finally get to meet the Rainbow Queen and see just what her side of the story is, and why all of Enchancia has been dealing with the darkness. I've seen people throwing out theories as to what's going on, and some of you are getting there. ;) There's more to the queen (and Nashoba) than meets the eye. Enjoy!

PS: Fair warning—this chapter does get a bit… _darker_ toward the end (no pun intended).

*Story*

Chapter 4: Alleviating the Mystery

"Queen Aliciana?" Amber asked, confusion etched on her face. "I've never heard of her, and there are many queens we've studied at school."

"He said he was from a different world, Amber," James reminded her. "Before today, we'd never heard of Arcomeotora either…"

"How do you find her, Nashoba?" Sofia looked toward the white-haired man. "And…how do I ask this exactly?"

"Is she dangerous?" Cordelia opted.

"Not at all," Nashoba responded with a shake of his head. "No, Queen Aliciana has done more for her kingdom than people give her credit for. She created a world of peace when people feared the worst. She brought hope back to our humble kingdom. However, when her nightmares began plaguing her, people saw far less of her than ever, and rumors starting flying around: she was sick, she was kidnapped, she'd abandoned us… No one ever knew that she was terrified. It's not easy running a kingdom alone, and those nightmares—which she deemed visions of doom—worried her beyond belief. She feared that she alone would cause chaos for her kingdom, so she felt it best to leave so nothing would happen to Arcomeotora…"

"But instead of bringing chaos to _your_ world, she unwittingly brought it to _ours_ ," Cedric surmised.

Nashoba nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so. Please understand, friends, that Queen Aliciana is not dangerous. She would never harm anyone or anything knowingly. Anything you see here must be a result of her own fears. The darkness that plagued her nightmares and mind have manifested themselves in this current situation." He frowned. "And now that she has cast this kingdom into darkness, it's actually much easier to locate her."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Merlin asked with a stroke of his beard.

"She isn't called the Rainbow Queen for nothing." He gestured toward the skies, where the multicolored lights were now glowing stronger than they had before. In fact, they seemed to be…descending? "Follow the lights."

"I hope it isn't too far," Cordelia sighed. "I didn't exactly bring traveling boots…"

"She sounds like you, Amber," James joked before pouting as his twin elbowed him. "Just kidding, sheesh."

The adults gathered torches to see by and instructed the children to walk behind them. Noticing that Calista was yawning and having trouble keeping up with everyone, Cedric leaned down and scooped up his niece, allowing her to ride on his back as they moved on.

Sofia smiled at the gesture before turning her attention back to the task at hand. "Where do you think the lights are leading us, Nashoba?"

"Knowing the queen, somewhere isolated. She likely doesn't want to face too many and answer to the problem she's caused, so seeing as few people as possible is not outside the realm of possibility for her."

They walked for a good half hour, trudging through trees and other plants until they finally reached a secluded area of the woods with one solitary filter of light streaming through the canopy. The light touched down on a single white magic lily, making it shimmer and thrive under the attention.

Nashoba ushered the group of wizards, sorcerers, and children back as he stepped forward, kneeling before the magic lily. "Your Majesty?"

"He's talking to a flower," Wormwood grumbled into Cedric's ear. "This is the guy we're supposed to trust?"

Cedric brushed his companion away as he let Calista stand on her own now.

Nashoba gently brushed the petals of the flower, willing it to shine. He stood back as a blinding light overtook the small blossom.

When the group lowered their arms from shielding against the light, they were surprised by what they now saw.

A young woman, perhaps no more than twenty years of age, now stood where the flower once grew. Her beautiful black gown swept against the ground and extended several feet behind her. Her long dark hair was tinged with rainbow highlights throughout, including the last several inches of her hair and bangs and the rest of the hair tied into a perfect bun. In each ear she had earrings shaped like shooting stars. Her eyes, rainbow as well, just like her namesake, blinked open and focused carefully on the white-haired man before her. "Nashoba," she spoke softly, her voice sounding as though it hadn't been used in quite some time.

"Aliciana… My love."

"Hold on, what?" James asked in awe. "These two are…"

"They're in love," Amber swooned. "How romantic!"

"You _would_ say that, Amber," he countered.

"Nashoba, I thought you said you were her guardian," Sofia declared as she looked back and forth between them.

"In a way, I suppose I am," he replied with a soft smile. He took the queen's hand and led her over to the group. "I am her husband, and as such, it is my responsibility to guard her with my life. So yes, Princess Sofia, I guess you can say that I am, in fact, her guardian."

"This just went to a whole new level of weird," Cordelia stated with her hands on her hips. "So what is this exactly? A lovers' quarrel, leading the Queen of Questionable Motives here to darken Enchancia and scare the wits out of the subjects?"

"I assure you, I meant no harm," Queen Aliciana responded clearly for them all to hear. "I… I've been swarmed with horrid visions the last few years, and all of them focused on something _I_ caused… Granted, I see now I did in fact cause some trouble, but the nightmares I've had predicted far worse than this." She turned to her husband and held onto his hands. "My presence alone will cause the downfall of Arcomeotora, so…perhaps it is best if I stay away."

"You can't, Aliciana. They still have Anneliese ruling in your stead."

"Anneliese will make a fine ruler. She's fair and honest—"

"She is but ten years old, my love," Nashoba interjected with a firm stare. "You must return, no matter what fears you have holding you back." He carefully squeezed her hands as he caught her attention, his blue eyes gazing into her rainbow ones. "I will help you in whatever way I can. You know this. Just tell me what to do."

"We'll all help," Sofia enthused.

"Yes," Winifred agreed with a nod. "You've got a lot of magic and gumption surrounding you, dear. So how may we be of service?"

Queen Aliciana regarded all of the people who had evidently put their time and energy to come aid her, and then she looked back at Nashoba. "My fear caused the darkness upon this land. Without a shred of hope, the light I had guiding me was doused, thereby plunging this kingdom into the same darkness I've been trapped in these last several months… Reversing it won't be easy."

"Could we use any spells, perhaps?" Merlin suggested.

"Enchantments, potions, riddles?" Goodwyn added.

"A really big candle?" James grinned.

"James," Sofia reproached her brother before smiling patiently toward the queen.

"I'm afraid none of the normal magical methods will work. It has to be my own method…"

"And what might that be?" Amber inquired.

"Relinquishment…" The queen looked toward them seriously. "I must eschew everything I have and am in order to restore normality to not only this land, but also to my world…"

Nashoba frowned, concerned. "What are you talking about, Aliciana?"

She looked toward him with a chilling sense of calm. "Sacrifice."

To be continued…


	5. Sacrifice

Blackout

Summary: Something strange is going on in Enchancia. The sun isn't rising, and neither is the moon. Instead of stars at night, the sky is covered in strange glowing points of colored light, which grow dimmer each evening. Concerned, King Roland urges Cedric and a team he's assembled to investigate, lest the kingdom be plunged into darkness for good.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Sofia the First_.

A/N: And at last we come to the conclusion of "Blackout." It may be a bit emotional, so heads up. But everything I write has a purpose behind it, so don't worry. ;) With that said, here's the final chapter: "Sacrifice."

A/N 2: Responding to a few questions from the reviews. Technically, Nashoba and Aliciana do live in something of a "parallel universe," so good catch, Mukidi. Royal Detective: Nashoba is a king by marriage, though he doesn't address it or really even use the title at the moment. He married into the lineage. Mr. Shortman92: …:) Yes, they're together, and nope, I'm not going to tell you what's going to happen. Read to the end to see what happens. Haha. :D Thanks for all the comments! Enjoy!

*Story*

Chapter 5: Sacrifice

" _Sacrifice_ …"

Sofia gasped and stared in disbelief at the queen. She couldn't mean…?

"You can't do that, Aliciana," Nashoba responded with, for once, a shaky voice. His natural calm composure was beginning to unravel. "There are so many who still need you, including me."

"I must," she said simply.

"Don't be a martyr!" The wolf hybrid's voice was much stronger this time, the sharp tone causing a few of the others to jump as his snap startled them. "Sacrifice rarely solves any problems. It only creates new ones. How am I to tell Anneliese what's happened to her sister? How can I explain to our kingdom why not only their queen has been absent for nearly a year, but that she's never returning due to her overly ambitious, self-deprecating role?"

Rainbow eyes snapped to the fiery blue ones. "Do you think this is easy for me, Nashoba?" she challenged, finally gaining some spark in her that she hadn't felt in a long time. "Do you think I _want_ to give up everything I am just to save our kingdom _and_ theirs?" She gestured toward the Enchancian group. "Life isn't fair, my love, and you and I know this very well. We've suffered personal losses that cannot be forgotten or replaced. Other than Anneliese, you're the only family I have left…and I know that we are yours now. But I cannot be selfish. I must do this."

Nashoba grasped her arms firmly. "You're being selfish by giving up."

"I'm not giving up! I'm resigning to the fact that I _have no choice_!"

"Um, excuse me?" Sofia asked uncertainly as the couple finally became silent and turned toward the girl. "Um, Queen Aliciana, I just… I know that you say there isn't another choice for saving our kingdoms other than giving up…your life…but somehow that doesn't seem right."

Aliciana sighed. "I'm afraid it is what it is, little one."

"No, not that. I mean…every curse or basic problem has an alternative answer, right? Sometimes we get so overwhelmed by the _main_ choice that we overlook other ones that may not seem as reliable or realistic…or dramatic, actually."

"I think I see what she's saying," Goodwyn told the others. "Queen Aliciana, as noble as the idea of sacrificing oneself for the greater good seems, it often comes with unforeseen consequences afterward. I think those are fairly obvious."

Nashoba lowered his head and folded his arms as his wife looked toward him sadly.

"But what if Sofia is right? What if there is something else you're overlooking?" He withdrew his wand and held it aloft. "We are sorcerers, wizards, and other enchanted beings. Our job is to utilize magic to the best of our ability to create a stable environment. You're magical yourself, obviously. You indicated that you've had visions of destruction of your homeland?"

"Yes," she answered quietly.

"And then you say this kingdom's darkness can't be fixed without 'eschewing all that you are,' correct?"

She nodded, not finding her voice to respond this time.

"I get it," Merlin piped up with a twinkle in his eye.

"Great," Cordelia responded with a mystified look. "Would you mind explaining it to the rest of us?"

Goodwyn gave the group a determined look. "Let's return to Cedric's workshop. Now. We have much to do."

In the workshop, brightly illuminated by several floating and stationary candles, the children sat on the staircase at the top, observing from above what the adults were doing. Winifred stood next to the window behind them to keep them company. Nashoba rested at the bottom of the staircase, watching his wife as she waited patiently to see just what these magic wielders came up with.

"Do you think they can really help her, Sofia?" Amber asked quietly so as not to interrupt their work.

"I think they can," she responded optimistically. "I mean, Amber, look at this team: Mr. Cedric, Mr. Goodwyn, Ms. Cordelia, and even Merlin himself. Queen Aliciana couldn't have asked for a better group of people to help her out."

"Yes, she could have," Calista responded cheekily. " _I_ could have helped too!"

Sofia giggled. "True, Calista is turning out to be quite the sorceress."

"Mm, especially after she's begun growing out of that sticky-fingers phase," Winifred returned with a warm chuckle.

"Hee-hee." The red-clad little girl grinned before looking down toward the white-haired man, who looked rather worried and glum. "I wish he wasn't so sad. He loves that lady so much."

James smiled at her. "Why don't you go try to cheer him up?

"I'll do that!" she cheered softly as she stood to her feet. With that, she carefully hopped down the metallic stairs.

Meanwhile, the assembled group had gone through text after text, spell book after spell book, and even theoretical journals and sketches galore. Aliciana sat aside and watched their actions, though she didn't necessarily understand what they were trying to do. While she herself had powers, she wasn't trained in this field, so she assumed she'd just have to trust their judgment…as scary as that was who had a hard time relinquishing her control.

"Tulio the Talented stated in his text that all magical scenarios have multiple possibilities," Cedric said as he opened a book and placed it on the table before them all. "Meaning that any given magical situation could have more than one outcome, yes?"

"Right," Cordelia agreed as she flipped a few pages into the book. "And don't forget that Vincenzo the Valliant organized several spells to alter any and all outcomes. It's sort of like that old saying: 'If at first you don't succeed…'"

"I suppose the only real question is how to undo a bit of dark magic brought about by fear and doubt," Goodwyn added. "Because that's what we're dealing with here, it seems. Fear is a natural thing. It truly keeps us safe sometimes. However, if we let that consume us and dictate our actions, that's when we become the victims. Unfortunately for the queen, she's of magical nature, and magic sometimes has a way of backfiring on us."

"Meaning it can turn against us if we allow it, even unintentionally," Merlin surmised.

"Precisely. So if she allows this fear to continue overpowering her, blinding her sense of judgment, she's going to truly feel as though she has no other alternative than to take herself out of the situation. After all, if she's no longer around, then the problems she unwittingly created would cease to exist."

"Though that creates new problems," Cedric told his father. "If she does go through with that, she's leaving not only her family behind, but her subjects as well. Her kingdom could descend into chaos."

"Which is why we're going to help her," Merlin said with a smile. "We need only the strongest spell available."

"Like ' _reverso_?'" Cordelia wondered.

"Bit stronger than that, I'm afraid…"

"Hi!" Calista greeted cheerfully as she plopped on the stairs next to Nashoba. She smiled at him as he glanced down at her.

He felt a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he turned to face the little girl. "Hello…Calista, is it?"

"Yep! Nashoba, I know you are sad, but I want you to know that everything will be all right."

He blinked at her. "Oh?"

"Yes! Because you see them?" She pointed toward the group around the table. "That's my mummy, my Uncle Ceddy, and my grandpa—and of course Merlin, the greatest wizard of all time. You have a lot of good people on your side, and they're going to do their very best to save Queen Aliciana and everyone else too."

Nashoba sighed with a smile toward the dark-haired child. "I am glad you have such confidence, Calista. I wish I were as certain as you."

"Just trust them. They know what they are doing. Magic is kind of what they do best." She beamed.

The wolf hybrid nodded gratefully before catching the eye of Aliciana, who smiled sadly at him. "Thank you, Calista."

Though it took nearly another hour, Merlin's shout of triumph caused everyone in the workshop to become rather alert.

"I've got it!" the oldest in the room declared as he cackled in excitement.

Cedric blinked as he whispered to his father, "I've never seen him like this."

"Play poker with him and you will," the other sorcerer remarked with a smirk. "Well, Merlin, out with it."

"Right, of course." Using his wand, he unrolled a scroll he'd apparently stumbled upon during their research. "Queen Aliciana, I'm pleased to tell you that your dilemma does not have to end in tragedy."

The Rainbow Queen's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

Nashoba sat up straighter, as did the children and Winifred, who were paying close attention at this point.

"Really. Yes, it's true that sometimes a situation does call for such dire consequences, but your situation is a bit different. What you've experienced is a magical and emotional transference. Nashoba mentioned that you'd had nightmares for several years." Seeing her nod, he continued. "It happens, of course. People have nightmares—sometimes for long periods of times, and in some cases, they are in fact recurring. What you deemed as visions were still just nightmares. You envisioned chaos and trouble for your kingdom?"

"Yes…but…"

"Nashoba, since she's left, what has happened?"

The white-haired man shrugged. "Her younger sister is ruling with the help of the advisors. While it's not as organized as it could be, I wouldn't say it's in ruins or shambles. However, it was much better with Aliciana there."

The queen frowned. "So what are you saying exactly? _I_ caused something that I had a vision about?"

"Sort of," Cordelia answered as she caught on to the wizard's reasoning. "However, like Merlin said, you never really had _visions_ about any sort of chaos in Arcomeotora. See, what happens sometimes is that we tend to stress over situations that _could_ happen, and before we know it, that fear and anxiety consumes us. It gets to the point where, while attempting to stop something from occurring, we unwillingly cause the very problem we set out to avoid."

James held a hand to his head. "My brain hurts."

Amber frowned. "Mine too."

Sofia laughed. "Humans are complicated. Short and simple."

"And what about this darkness?" Aliciana asked as she indicated the outside world.

"A mere manifestation of your fears," Merlin responded honestly. "Being magical is wonderful, my dear, but it can come at a price. Our emotions and feelings are tied into everything we do, whether we realize it or not. The darkness is nothing to be afraid of. It's simply the absence of light. Your primary fear is that you will lose control and cause trouble for the ones you care about."

She frowned. "I already have, haven't I?"

Goodwyn shrugged. "Well, yes and no. This isn't exactly the real chaotic situation you probably predicted would happen. Things could have been much worse. Instead, this is something that can be remedied. However, as you probably do realize, it _will_ come at a small price."

Nashoba's short intake of breath drew Calista's attention. Seeing his worried look, she offered him a gentle hug to calm him down, which he seemed to appreciate and reciprocate.

"What is it?" the queen asked nervously.

"We must reset time for you," Cedric responded, finally catching on. "I believe what Merlin is indicating is the Reset Spell. It sets things back to a manageable time for the party involved. As your world is paralleled to ours and in a different dimension, it will only be your world affected. And…you won't remember meeting us or anything that's happened since the first time you envisioned everything."

"So…my subjects and I will relive events from two years ago?"

"Not exactly," Merlin spoke with a shake of his head. "They will most likely be different. If I'm right, and I believe I am, getting you back to that time before this all started will begin an old yet new chapter for all of you. It won't be the same, because you'll be rewriting your own history, so to speak. Yet, before we can conduct that spell, we first need to address your fears."

"I know my fears," Aliciana admitted. "I'm afraid of failing. I'm afraid of losing everyone and everything I love and hold close to my heart. And I'm afraid of the unknown…especially since aside from my sister and my husband, I don't have anyone else. If I lose them, I _will_ lose myself."

"You need to _believe_ in yourself," Sofia told her as she descended the staircase and stood next to her. "You're a queen for a reason. It's a part of you. You did fine before you started having nightmares, and you'll do fine now." She grabbed her hands. "Repeat after me: I can do anything."

Aliciana paused for a moment. "I…can do anything."

"I'm a strong and courageous leader."

The queen nodded. "I'm a strong and courageous leader."

Cedric blinked as he noticed a shimmer emerging from Sofia's amulet. "Um, Sofia…?"

Sofia didn't appear to hear him as she continued her exercise with the Rainbow Queen. "No darkness or fear will ever overwhelm me." She smiled as Aliciana repeated, in a stronger voice, her own words. "I'm the Rainbow Queen, Aliciana of Arcomeotora, and I wish for all to be well again."

Aliciana smiled brightly and said clearly, "I'm the Rainbow Queen, Aliciana of Arcomeotora, and I wish for all to be well again!"

Suddenly, a blinding light swept through the workshop, engulfing everyone.

Sofia sat up in her bed, shielding her eyes against the bright sunlight that streamed into her bedroom through the window. She then lowered her hands and blinked. "Wait a minute." She gasped as she realized what she was seeing. "The sun! It's back!"

"Sofia, are you okay?" Miranda asked as she leaned over from her spot beside the girl and felt her forehead. "You're still a tiny bit warm, but you don't seem nearly as bad off."

The girl blinked as she turned toward her mother. "Mom? What are you talking about?" She clutched the blankets surrounding her. "And why am I here? I was in Mr. Cedric's workshop with the others, helping Queen Aliciana and Nashoba." She gasped. "What happened to them? Are they okay?"

The queen smiled softly at her daughter and encouraged her to lie down again. "Sofia, everything is fine. Apparently, Merlin and the other sorcerers were going to do a spell to send them back in time to make necessary adjustments. However, it seems your amulet here had other plans."

"It did?" She glanced down at the calm pink jewel lying around her neck. Then it hit her. _I wish_ … She really had to be careful what she said with this amulet, though it seemed this time things worked out in their favor.

"You know, I know you and Princess Elena were discussing its powers and how important it was when we met her last year, but I had no idea it could do something like that."

Sofia clutched the amulet with a small laugh. "Neither did I… So…Aliciana and Nashoba are gone?"

"According to Goodwyn and the others, yes." She stroked her daughter's hair gently. "Presumably back to their own world at a better time…and maybe this time, things will be different."

The princess nodded slowly. "I hope so…" She suddenly frowned. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Four days."

" _Four_ _days_?" The look on the girl's face was rather priceless. "I'm getting as bad as Princess Aurora…"

"What?"

Sofia grinned. "Nothing!"

Meanwhile, at another time and in another world filled with dazzling light displays and lowered clouds, a queen and her king stood side by side with each other as they waved to their subjects below their balcony. Newly wed (for a second time in their lifetime, as they joked to one another), they appeared quite happy and very positive.

"So this is where our journey begins this time?" Nashoba asked as he pulled Aliciana closer, making her smile.

"No, my love," she responded gently as she turned fully to face him. "We've been on this journey for a long time, but this time, we'll see it through to the end. And no darkness will ever shadow our destiny ahead." With that, she leaned forward and kissed him.

The end

*After credits ending, for those who want to see a little humor! lol*

Merlin, Cedric, Calista, Cordelia, Wormwood, Winifred, and Goodwyn had all met up at Goodwyn's and Winifred's home in Mystic Meadows for some much needed relaxation a few days later. At the moment, Cordelia and Calista were helping Winifred cook while Cedric and Wormwood were graciously taste testing everything that was fixed. Goodwyn was elsewhere.

Merlin sat in their living room with a frown on his face. He had his arms folded while his gaze stayed focused on the table in front of him.

"Are you still pouting?" Goodwyn asked with a smirk as he walked into the living room where the older wizard was.

"I was _this close_ to victory, Goodwyn," he griped. " _So_ close. And then all of that happened and just threw me off."

"So what are you saying? You'd rather Princess Sofia take back everything and let you _try_ to save the day for Queen Aliciana?"

"Huh? I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about this!" He held up a deck of cards before tossing them onto the table. "I lost another game of poker!"

The sorcerer blinked. "But…we weren't playing poker."

"I lost to that blasted bird of Cedric's! That Wormwood—he's a cheater, you know. He manipulated my hand and caused me to lose!"

"…What?"

"It's called having skill," came Wormwood's snide voice as he flew into the living room and perched on the sofa, giving the older wizard a prideful grin. "Can't fault me for that."

"Since when can you talk?" Goodwyn asked in confusion.

"Since Cedric spilled a talking potion on me a few months ago—or rather, I could always talk; you can now simply understand me for the first time in your lives." He grabbed up the deck of cards in his talons and smirked at Merlin. "Ready for round two? Or are you too cowardly?"

A determined look appeared on the wizard's face as he frowned at the smirking raven. "Bring it on."

A few minutes later, those in the kitchen looked up when they heard a familiar wail of defeat.

"He lost again?" Cordelia asked with a laugh.

"Sounds like it," Cedric confirmed with a shake of his head. "Wormy doesn't play fair. Poor Merlin."

"Ah, well," Winifred stated. "Dinnertime!"

THE END (For real. Like you're free to leave. Just make sure you take any empty popcorn containers and drinking cups with you. The ushers will clean up behind you. ;) JK! Thanks for reading! Till next time! ~AquaTurquoise)


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